A Promise
by Trivette Lover Heather
Summary: Nash gets a new partner and remembers a promise he made to Joe. ReWritten for your enjoyment.


A Promise – Rewrite  
By: Trivette Lover Heather 

--

It had been a month since he had lost his partner. Things were almost back to normal, but Nash knew it would never be the same. The SIU would never be the same; Nash would never be the same; life would just never be the same.

Every morning Nash would wake up, turn off his alarm and fight back the urge to pick up his phone to call his friend, then would sadly realizes he's gone. Nick would fix breakfast and watch as his son put on a fake smile and head off to work.

He gets in the Cuda, turns the key and glances towards the seat beside him. Every day the empty seat is reminder of his friend, partner. Every day it's a reminder that his wife no longer has him to hold. And his child no longer has a father.

_Life has to go on Nash, Be strong. _He thinks to himself.

Ever since Joe's death, Nash stops by his house every morning to see Inger and Lucia. For that was a promise he made to his friend, to take care of his family. And that, Nash took much pride and honor in.

As long as Nash could breathe, Inger and Lucia would be taken care of. Joe's will left all possessions etc to his wife and his life insurance covered most of the after death expenses, Nash covered the rest.

Joe did leave Nash a key chain that said " I'll always be with ya Nash man."

But more than that, Joe left a legacy. A legacy of a friend and a brother and _that_ meant more to Nash than life itself.

--

SIU

--

Nash walked his way up the stairs to his office and to his desk. But there was and always would be a feeling of emptiness. No wise cracks; no smart comments about what he was wearing. He simply went on with his day at work, smiling at every glance toward the picture of him and Joe with a Drag Queen.

He headed downstairs to relay the agenda for the day. Inspector Harvey Leek shot him a look of dismay with a hint of a smile.

Nash could always tell if they were trying to hide something. Just then the Chief came down the barge towards Nash. Harvey walked over to Nash and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Its all for the best brother." Harvey commented.

Nash smiled and frowned at the same time. He knew he would eventually be assigned a new partner. Not some rookie, but a Uni…or detective from homicide who thinks way too highly of himself.

"Hello Nash, how are you?" The Chief approached, shaking his hand solemnly.

"Things are just fine sir, now can we cut through all the blah blah blah and talk about why you are really here... sir"

"Yes well, this here is Officer Kelly from homicide, he will be joining the SIU and I was hoping..."

"Whoa wait a minute sir; you have always said that I okay all applications to the SIU."

"Not this time, Bridges. I can take authority here, you know that."

"Yes sir but..."

"No butts Bridges, take him under your wing, he's now your new partner."

_Partner,_ Nash thought, _Partner. The word would never mean the same now. _

"Yes sir," Nash reluctantly replied.

The Chief smiled and patted Kelley on the back as he walked towards the exit. Everyone introduced them selves to the new recruit, and Nash asked Harvey to show him around. 

Nash went out on the barge and looked out at the water. He couldn't believe what was happening; it was like a big slap in the face. He then remembered his promise...

---

The bust seemed to be going cleanly, the officers had it under control and Nash had just started to put his gun away. Joe was on the opposite side of Nash, talking to an officer.

Joe glanced over and spotted a gun. He yelled, "Gun!" He ran as fast his legs would take him.

"Nash." As he yelled he tacked Nash to the ground, before Nash knew what was going on, all Nash heard was a shot. By the time the chaos calmed Nash turned around to see his partner facing towards the ground.

"Damnit." He turned his partner to face him. He turned frantically, took off his jacket and yelled for EMS.

"Ah Joe, don't you die on me, don't you die on me."

Joe could barely breathe; he was letting out shorter breaths at a time.

" Na…Nash?"

" Don't talk." He replied softly.

"Pro...promise me some...thing."

" Bubba don't be talking like this, you're not going anywhere damnit…"

"Nash, pro...mise... me you... take care of Inger...Lucia."

" Joe..." He looked at him in total despair and sadness. "I promise Joe."

He collapsed over his friend as he felt for his pulse and felt nothing. The EMS arrived and told Nash to get up but he pushed them away. Harvey finally pulled him away, and both men fell to the ground in tears. Harvey held Nash in his arms as they listened to the paramedics say there was no chance and that they had lost him. It couldn't be happening.

---

A tear fell from his face when his new partner startled him.

"Oh uh sorry sir, I just wanted to tell you what an honor it is to be your partner."

" Bubba… I have always only had _one_ partner, and I will always have_ one_ partner. Now listen up here brother, we work _together_. We are a team here. So, if you will excuse me, I have work to do."

" _WE_ have work to do."

" Don't get smart with me _little _bubba."

" Look sir, with all due respect, I know how your partner was killed, very valiantly as far as I'm concerned and I'm truly sorry but that is no reason to shut me off. I m here to do my job."

" Isn't it though? I think it's a good damn reason…hell I can't think of a better reason...He was my partner for 23 years, longer than your parents have been married… Now, you want to do your job so badly, you get in there and you learn how we work here at the SIU, and give me some time to adjust to it, got that bubba?"

He nodded. "Yes sir"

"And stop calling me sir, this isn't the damn army, next thing you know you're gonna be saluting me…call me Nash."

Nash walked back in the barge and pulled Harvey aside.

" Yea boss?"

" Harvey, you make sure this kid doesn't set something on fire, I'm going out for a ride."

" Alright Nash…you alright?"

" Bubba, I'm as ok as I can get right now."

Nash opened the door to the Cuda and sat down, he dropped his keys and bent over to pick them up looking straight at the key chain his partner had left him. Something hit him and he smiled, looking up… "Thanks bubba." And headed back into the SIU.

"Ah boss back so soon…miss me?" Harvey said with a smile.

" Right Harv, uh where's Kelley at?"

"Over there by Ronnie." He pointed. 

"Hey Kelley!" Nash approached in his usual manner. 

"Yes sir… I mean…Nash." He corrected himself. 

"We are going for a little ride."

He followed Nash outside to the Cuda.

"Wow, I mean I've heard about the legendary Cuda…do you know how sweet this is?"

" Yes it is, now this car means more to me than who knows what, so there are some rules, now pay attention here army boy... no eating, no drinking, no drooling..." and the list went on and on.

Kelley laughed silently as he didn't want Nash to notice, but he did and just shot him back a serious look.

"Where are we headed?" Kelley asked curious.

Nash smiled. "To my old partner's house. "

" Why?"

" Cuz of a promise."

" What promise?"

" Bubba, you ask too many damn questions."

Kelley smiled.

As the two reached the house, Nash got out and noticed that Kelley was still sitting in the car.

"Bubba, that's another rule, no sitting in the Cuda without adult supervision! Now come on." He waved for him to follow.

" But I don't want to intrude…I mean…" 

" Will you quit being so damn polite... come on I want you to meet some people who are very important to me."

Nick had been staying there to help Inger around the house and came out to greet them.

"Who are they? "

"Again with the questions." Nash laughed. "Bubba, I get the feeling this is gonna be a start of a beautiful friendship."

He put his arm around his new partner.

He then looked up to the sky, winked..

Whispering he said… "You better help me with this one bubba." 

-- 

End.  
As Always, Till Next Time

-Trivette Lover Heather


End file.
